The Blue Room
by Javawolf
Summary: Set after 'Birthday.' Cordelia has moved on to a brighter destiny, leaving Angel numb and insane in the blue room... until Fred steals his gift from him, falling under the curse of the visions, and destiny is proven unavoidable.
1. Visions?

The Blue Room

By: Javawolf

Set: AU

Rated: K+

_This fic follows the book as far as 'Birthday', and __then unweaves. Imagine that Cordelia accepted her __demon-guide, Skip's, terms. Imagine she lived happily __ever after with the joyous life she was destined for. __Then imagine that the Pylean rebels finally developed __a successful plan for bringing down Silas, and the __books Fred needed to find a way home were going to be __burned with the rest of the Covenant's accursed __playthings when she picked them up on a whim..._

* * *

Oz hummed quietly along with his guitar, inaudible to the crowd over the surging chords. The music was heavy, hard-set. The lead singer was screaming his lungs out, and the fans were running each other over, giving a strange resemblance to the Spanish Festival of the Bulls. But Oz hummed the tune to himself quietly, transforming every stroke into a sound of perfection. Life didn't get any better than this.

After the show, Oz sat outside the auditorium. He had found a fountain on the Promenade, and was watching the water fall gracefully into the pool.

"Are you the lead guitar for the Dingoes?" Asked a sweet southern-sounding voice.

"Yeah. Hi." Oz replied with a friendly smile. The woman wasn't tall, but she was taller than Oz, he noted with dismay.

"Uhmm... hey are you... okay?" Asked the woman.

"Yeah. I'm currently of the good."

The woman look confused. "Oh. Okay then, um... have you seen anything, bizarre or grotesque around here lately? Say, a giganimous wolf-like thing, possibly... uh... trying to eat you?"

Oz blinked.

"Who are you?"

"Oh my gosh!" The woman shook her hands frantically and rolled her eyes, in a manner that reminded Oz of cute little squirrels. Or perhaps birds.

"I'm so sorry! I'm Fred! I'm a detective. Well--not really, I just sorta work for one even though technically he isn't a detective either, since he can't really apply for a license, what with having no degrees or even a last name, but I work for a mock detective and I had a vision, whoops, you're not supposed to know that, pretend you didn't hear it cause if you did I'll get in trouble so you didn't hear okay? But anyway I'm thinkin' I've got the wrong guy as you don't look eaten, so bye!"

She turned to leave.

"Wait!" Oz called out to her, standing up incase he had to follow her. "What wolf thing? Like, a werewolf?"

"Hmm?" The girl spun around on her toes to face him again, her eyes big and bright. Oz was surprised at his own attention to detail.

"You had a vision. About me. And a werewolf?"

"Oh, uh-huh. Ah!" Her face scrunched up in her frustration, though a smile remained fixed there. She looked very much like a squirrel now. Oz concluded that she must just be a very squirrel-like person.

"Shoot!" Fred stomped her foot. "You're not supposed to hear--"

"That's me." Oz interrupted.

"Sorry?"

"The werewolf in your vision. It's me."

"Oooooh." Fred nodded with her eyes closed. "Well, that tracks. Except--" She looked up at the moon, which was barely visible behind the wisps of cloud.

"Why aren't you, you know... Grrrrr!" Fred raised her hands to her face like claws and imitated a wolf's growl. Oz couldn't help but smile at her. She blushed and looked away, trying to hide her face in her long brown hair.

Oz walked over to her. "The cycle doesn't start until tomorrow." He put one arm around Fred's shoulder and used the other to point up at the sky.

"If you look hard enough, you can tell it isn't quite full yet. See?"

"Uhhmm...no, not really. It looks full to me."

"Well you know when it's totally full there's an orange rim around it."

"I think you spend way too much time starin' at the moon."

"You're probably right." Oz laughed. "Sort of a pre-req for the wolf thing."

"Uh-huh." Fred smiled shyly. "Well, since you're not bein' eaten, I guess I can go now." She turned and started walking down the busy L.A. street. Oz followed, carrying his guitar case awkwardly at his side.

"Hey, do you wanna get some coffee or something?" He asked quickly. Fred stopped walking and looked at him.

"I dunno."

"Do I make you nervous? It's not full, I swear I won't go all--" Oz brought his hands to his face mocking Fred's previous imitation. "Grrrrrr!"

"I know, it's just--I don't really know you at all and--"

"That's my point." Oz interrupted. "You can make with the learnage of Oz. That's my name, by the way."

Fred still looked uncertain. Oz smiled reassuringly. "What about a movie and then coffee?"

Fred perked up. "I like movies!"

"Where's Fred?" Gunn asked as he stepped into the dark apartment.

Wesley looked up from his book. "I'd like to know as well. She was here around thirty minutes ago. She was in the kitchen using the phone--by the way we're having tacos again--Fred was ordering Mexican take-out and she came out a moment later, said she needed to run an errand, and walked right out the door."

Gunn blinked. "That's one weird woman."

Wesley shrugged. "Well, I don't know." He hid his bashful smile by hiding behind his book. "I find it, rather...sweet."

Gunn was going to say something he knew he shouldn't be saying, but was thankfully interrupted.

"Wes!" Came a hoarse shout. "Wes, I've been good! I've been good!"

Wesley sighed loudly.

"You want me to--"

"If you don't mind." Wesley replied to Gunn's half-hearted offer. "I'm trying to read up on that Ardentious demon. I think there may be a way to destroy it with a simple incantation, which needless to say, would greatly increase our chances of stopping something very ugly before it starts, without getting ourselves killed in the process."

"I've been good!"

Rolling his eyes, Gunn slouched over to the door of the second bedroom and took the key from it's hook. Once the door was unlocked, Gunn didn't even need to bother with the handle, as the door swung open, seemingly on it's own accord. For a moment he simply gawked at it. However, it quickly became apparent that he didn't, in fact, have some new found telepathic ability. Gunn jumped into the room and shut the door behind him before Angel had enough time to race through.

"I've been good...I've been good..." Angel sat down on the floor in front of Gunn, picking at the mud on his boots.

"How'd you get so dirty?" Angel asked.

Gunn knelt down next to him. "Work." Gunn studied him. He wasn't ranting, he wasn't crying, and he wasn't convulsing. This was a good day. The best in a long time.

"How are you doin' today, Angel? Are you feelin' better?"

"I've been good." Angel replied, nodding his head vigorantly.

"I know you have. That's great."

Angel held his knees to his chest and rocked back and forth, still nodding. "I've been good." He repeated the same words over and over again quietly to himself. "I've been good."

Gunn sighed, reminding himself to be patient. "Angel, I'm glad you've been good. I'll talk to Wes, we'll see what we can do for you."

"I want a shower." Angel said flatly. "I'm dirty."

"Well, Angel, you know I don't make the rules, but I will definitely talk to Wes about it."

Angel grunted a reply and stood up. "I'm going over here." He pointed to the other end of the room and then, with his back straight, walked over to the far corner and sat down again. Gunn watched amazed as Angel neatly folded his arms across his chest and crossed his legs. They stared at each other from opposite ends of the room. Angel didn't blink.

"Uh...Angel. Have you had--"

"Don't come over here." Angel told him sternly, as Gunn attempted to move towards him. "I'm over here." He said.

"Oh." Gunn stopped abruptly. "Sorry."

Angel gave a brief smile, accepting the apology.

"Angel, have you had any more headaches?" Gunn asked gently.

"My head doesn't hurt. My head doesn't hurt." Angel muttered.

"Angel..." Gunn tried again. "Does anyone need help?"

"Everyone needs help."

Gunn sighed. "Okay. Thanks, man." He tried to smile at Angel. Angel simply eyeballed him.

"Shower?"

Gunn nodded. "Maybe. You hungry? When did Wes give you your dinner?"

"I'm hungry. I want a shower." Angel insisted.

"Okay buddy. You sit tight." Gunn watched Angel carefully as he backed toward the door. Angel quietly watched him leave.

"How is he?" Wesley asked without looking up from his notes.

Gunn shrugged. "He seems...better." Pause. "Wes, why isn't he havin' any visions?"

"Still none?" He set his pencil down. "Curious."

"You think maybe he just cracked? Maybe doesn't know to tell us about the visions anymore? He seems together, but--"

"Together?" Wes raised an eyebrow. "In what sense?"

Gunn shrugged again. Wesley noted how often he does that, as if he assumed he wasn't intelligent enough to answer openly. "Well, he asked me directly if he could have a shower. I'm sposta bring that up."

"Really?" Wesley pondered for several long minutes. After a while Gunn gave up waitingand went into the small kitchen.

The doorbell rang.

"Oh, food!" Gunn bolted back into the living room and over to the door.

"Why do y'all keep lockin' the door?" Fred asked when Gunn when it swung open. "It's not like we got anything worth stealin'." She rolled her eyes and smiled that quirky smile. Gunn smiled back, though it faded when he saw Oz.

"Who are you?" He grilled. Oz offered his hand.

"Hey, I'm Oz. Nice to--"

"Oz?" Wesley peeked out from behind his book. "Oh, hello! How are you?"

"Good." Oz said simply.

Fred and Gunn exchanged glances.

"You two know each other?" Gunn asked.

"Sunnydale." Wes said by way of explanation. Gunn grinned.

"Oh, then you must've have known Cordelia Chase!"

"Yes, I did. And wasn't she charming?" The tone of Oz's voice made his sarcasm obvious.

"Yes, she was rather wasn't she?" Wes smiled fondly, not catching on.

"Who's Cordelia Chase?" Fred asked.

Gunn gawked at her. "You haven't seen the T.V. show 'Cordy'?"

Fred lit up. "Oh! Yeah, I know her!" She blushed. "Not know her, know her, cause I don't know her, but I know her from T.V. I saw that show twice." She snorted the tiniest bit whilst trying to hold back a fit of giggles. "She's funny! Gosh, y'all knew her?"

"I never did." Gunn interrupted. "I just watch the show."

"How come I never see you watching?" Fred asked slyly. Wesley answered for him.

"He's embarrassed because it's a show generally directed at females." He suddenly eyed Oz. "What are you doing in L.A.?"

"Touring."

Oz walked over to Wesley and sat down on the chair oppisite him. Fred and Gunn followed, taking the couch.

"You're missing the other arm." Oz said flatly.

"Ah yes." Wesley chuckled. "Interesting story actually--"

"Touring?" Gunn asked.

"With his band!" Fred piped up. "Dingoes Ate My Baby! That's just the name of the band, dingoes didn't really eat my baby, I don't even have a baby!"

Wesley smiled to himself...

"You're in a band?" Gunn eyed him.

"That's wonderful!" Wesley gave a friendly smile. "The Dingoes going big?"

"Maybe."

"That's where you went!" Gunn faced Fred. "After you ordered the food."

Fred grimaced. "Um...about the food..."

"Where is it, by the way?" Wesley faced Fred as well. "It's been hours."

"I got sorta distracted..." Fred hid her face. "I picked up the phone and dialed the number, but then I realized I needed to do somethin', so I hung up."

For a while nobody said anything. Fred sighed. "It was really important though. Oz here needs our help."

"No I don't, I'm fine." Oz looked around at everyone else and shrugged. "She insists that I'm in trouble cause of her vision. She says she only gets 'em when someone's in really deep sh--"

"VISION!" Wesley and Gunn both shouted at once. Oz chuckled nervously.

"I wasn't supposed to say that..." He sighed to himself.

Fred shook her head, which she was holding in her hands.

"Fred..." Wesley spoke quietly, but sternly. His authority was made clear by the ageless wisdom seen in his eyes. "Did you go into the spare room?"

Fred looked up and shrugged.

"You don't know?" Wesley raised an eyebrow.

"I dunno...that sorta depends. What sorta reaction can I expect from you if I say yes?"

"Fred...what did you do?"

Author's note:

I'm sorry some of this may seem rather squished, I'm having a hard time with everything


	2. Confessions

The Blue Room

Chapter Two

Minimum squishiness. Joy.

And since I forgot a disclaimer last time: None of these characters belong to me. That mad genius, Joss Whedon, cooked them up in his miraculously twisted mind. Bully for him. Now on with the story.

Please, please, please review! I'm edicted to them. They are the only motivation I have. I have it in my head that if no one's reviewing then no one's reading. So, pretty please?

* * *

_It's dark. Gunn is asleep on the couch. He has his bedroll by the air conditioner, but he never sleeps in it. Sometimes he just comes off on me as strange._

_Wesley is asleep too. Except he's got a bed. The hinges on his bedroom door are loose and it keeps swinging back and forth. Every time it does that I jump like the dickens! I really don't wanna get caught, I just—have to see what's in there. Actually, I'm fairly certain it's a who. There's a who in there, and I don't think it's a very happy who. _

_Oh, Lord…It's really cold in here. The room ain't very big, but it ain't small either. It feels something like a dream. It very well may be, my watch says it's after 1:00am. But my watch ain't what's causing that feeling. It's the space. The air itself is smothering. The bright city lights from the window give the room a dull blue glow, and the dust hangs in the air like tiny snowflakes. I mean, if snowflakes were microscopic hairs and mites and other miniscule life forms that have no common purpose on this earth but to burrow into your skin and make you itch like heck. But anyway, what I'm getting at is how thick the air feels. Not just because of the dust. It's as though hundreds of years of memories have been forced together in this little room, and I feel like if I stay in here much longer I might drown in them._

_I turn to leave, thinking what a waste of time this turned out to be and how tired I'm gonna be in the morning--when suddenly, out of the shadows speaks a voice. The voice is low, obviously male. _

"_You're new." It says quietly. I can't see anything. I find myself wondering if maybe one of the lost memories is trying to speak to me. At this point I don't realize how close to the truth I really am._

"_I reckon I am, yes. We haven't been introduced—I'm Fred."_

_For a moment there's only silence. It's starting to get a little creepy. I'm about to repeat myself, just to make sure I didn't make the voice up in my head, as I tend to do that from time to time. But I'm saved the trouble._

"_You should leave. I'm—I'm not…"_

_In an instant I'm out the door. You only gotta tell me once. As I lean up against the door, listening for any sign that Wes or Gunn may be awake, there's a dull throb. Pretty soon the throb grows to the point where it ain't so dull anymore. The only thing I can think to do is stick my fist in my mouth to keep from screaming. The pain is indescribable. Adjectives fail me as I'm here, trying to describe what it feels like to have your head crammed full of someone else's thoughts. But when it had ended, I already knew what had happened. _

* * *

"And that's it in a nutshell." Fred finished. Wes, Gunn and Oz were all staring blankly at her. She sighed loudly. "I was babblin' wasn't I?" She asked flatly, already knowing the answer. Her audience nodded, eyes wide. 

"I find it endlessly fascinating that a woman such as yourself can explain something so seemingly complex in a matter of about a minute." Oz finally blinked. "Did anyone see her even take a breath?"

Wesley and Gunn had both stopped listening past the word 'woman'. Use of that word by a young man towards a young lady had certain implications. Gunn narrowed his eyes, silently wishing for this guy to give him one reason…

Wes on the other hand simply cleared his throat and went back to his notes.

Fred looked annoyed. She had worded her explanation very carefully in her head, but still she couldn't spit it out the way it was supposed to be. It frustrated her that no one would ever know that she could in fact put a sentence together.

Gunn thought for a moment. "I don't get it. How did Angel give Fred the visions?"

"It's an act of will." Wesley explained, not looking up from his book. "Generally it's passed using the most powerful emotion--love. A passionate kiss or something to that effect will do the trick."

"Then how did Doyle—" Gunn began. For a moment all four of them sat deep in thought.

"Huh." Oz grunted, eyebrows raised.

Wesley almost fell into a fit of giggles, but was able to retain himself for two reasons.

Because he was the adult here, and if he couldn't maintain control they were all doomed to die horrible deaths.

Because giggling is generally considered a feminine trait.

"What I said Gunn, was that love is the most powerful human emotion. And it's the first a seer would need to pass the gift on to someone who shared that emotion. But if love isn't there, and I mean in a passionate sense, then one must move on to the second most powerful emotion—hope."

"So what you're sayin' is that the visions just _jumped_ from Doyle to Angel, Angel to Fred, and there was no kissing?" Gunn asked.

"Precisely." Wesley answered.

Gunn breathed a sigh of relief. "Good." All assumed he meant the situation with the two men, but that wasn't his feeling at all…

"Why would Angel give Fred the visions?" Oz asked and then sputtered. "Wait a minute, I'm just now catching on, Angel's here!"

"Long story, why don't I bring you up to date later?" Wesley said. "And to answer the first question, I assume Angel simply wanted to get rid of the visions, but in his mind the situation was likely to seem more desperate. He probably felt so strongly that it triggered the switch to the nearest body."

"So where does hope fit in?" Gunn questioned, leaning back into the couch and folding his arms.

Wesley smiled. "Because Angel's not entirely lost. I do believe he understands his situation; he's simply unable to communicate to us in a manner that we would consider…well, sane. I think he may have been overwhelmed with the idea that he may one day come back. I think that hope was enough to rip the visions from him."

"Why didn't he just give 'em to us all the times we went in there?"

"I don't believe he found us suitable candidates. He chose Fred for a reason."

Fred blushed. "Y'all are so sweet!"

All three men turned and smiled at her. All three men felt their hearts skip a beat when she bashfully smiled back.

* * *

Later, after Wes and Gunn had fixed themselves some sandwiches, Fred offered to give Oz the skinny on everything that had happened since Sunnydale. How she ended up in L.A., how Angel went kooky—all of it. 

Gunn pulled Wesley aside. "Angel's still in there, man. I promised him blood and a shower."

"I already gave him dinner." Wesley said flatly.

"Well he says he's still hungry and—"

"Of course he's still hungry. A vampire will never be contented no matter how much you give him."

"Wes c'mon."

"No."

"What's your deal?"

"Are you in love with Fred?"

Gunn blinked repeatedly.

"What?"

"Are you?" Wesley grilled.

Gunn stepped back and leaned against the kitchen counter. "I dunno…"

"You don't know or you won't say?"

"Both I guess." Gunn concluded, shrugging again. Wesley looked down at his feet.

"I'm sorry." He said finally. He adjusted his reading glasses and cleared his throat. "You said he wanted a shower?"

"Uh…yeah…" Gunn looked Wesley over. "You alright, man?"

Wesley looked up again, his features bright and happy, but if you looked closely, his eyes were dull and empty. "Yes. I'm fine." He pasted a smile onto his face. "How about I take Angel this time?" He offered. Gunn closed his eyes, silently praising God.

"Thanks, man. I'm not sure I could handle seein'—"

"Understood." Wes nodded and walked out of the kitchen. Gunn stood there for a moment reliving the conversation.

"_Are you in love with Fred?"_

He walked into the living room, where Fred was still speaking to Oz who was trying his best to catch everything. The door to the spare bedroom closed as Wesley entered. Gunn felt very isolated.

"Wes!" He called through the door. "I'm gonna lay down. I'm usin' your bed!"

"Alright, good idea!" Came a muffled voice. Gunn nodded and retreated to the master bedroom, still consumed in thought.

'_Me…Fred…Love?'_

* * *

"—So then I just blasted into this demon karaoke bar! And Wes and Gunn were there, and they saw me and I think I kinda scared 'em senseless cause they kept starin'. But my head was still kinda kaploey, and not much of my story was makin' a whole lot of sense, but they got it cause Angel had had a vision about me and so they took me here and I was just moochin' off them—" 

'_The most beautiful thing I've ever seen…'_

"—I'm helping out some now, and since I got the visions I've been doin' my own work. And it ain't too much, I just wish they didn't hurt so bad—"

'_Look at that smile…'_

"—Still a little confused and I'm not sure what I'm gonna—are you listening?"

Oz was shaken from his thoughts. "Oh! Uh-huh. Karaoke blasting, Angel-mooching, and head-kaploey type visions."

"That about sums it up!" Fred giggled.

"So when do you start explaining how you all ended up here?"

"I thought I did."

"Not yet." Oz said with a smile.

"Oh…well—"

* * *

"Okay Angel, we're going to walk to the bathroom. You've done this before, you know the drill." 

"Uh-huh." Angel nodded. "I get a shower, right?"

Wesley looked at him amazed. "Yes, you do. That's what we're doing right now. Are you ready?"

"Uh-huh." Angel repeated.

"Good." Wesley opened the door. "Don't run Angel."

"I'm not going to." He answered bluntly.

They walked out of the room and past the living room towards the bathroom.

"Hi Oz." Angel said, waving. Wes was dumbstruck.

"Oh God…Angel?" Oz's thoughts froze at the sight of Angel's shabby condition. He was almost unrecognizable.

"Angel, you remember Oz?" Wes asked when they had made it safely to the bathroom.

Angel nodded, as he started undressing. "I'm not stupid." He scoffed.

Wes didn't know what to say. He turned on the shower.

"Angel, do you need help?" He asked, meaning help with the clothes.

"No." He sighed as he began unbuttoning his shirt. "I can do it."

"Do you want me to—?" Wesley moved towards the door.

"Wait." Angel handed Wes his clothes. "Can you wash these?"

Wesley smiled. "Absolutely. I'll be back for you in ten minutes." Angel nodded, and Wesley shut the door behind himself, locking it.

As he made his way toward the washing machine he wondered…


	3. Ubducted

The Blue Room: Chapter Three

* * *

"I am gonna fix it…"

"Goodbye…"

And she's gone. Alanna…

"G!" Chain shouts to me and I turn around just in time to see a vampire grab him from behind. Chain is dead before the others know what happened. Soon there are four vampires, each one taking another one of my brothers. Amidst the screams for help I hear a chuckle from behind me. Their leader. He grabs me by the throat, ready to strike, when he collapses into dust.

"Are you alright?" A man asks me. I don't have time to answer, he stakes another vampire as it's moving towards us and then dashes toward the last of my crew. He's too late. The three remaining vampires already have my friend and they knock the man to the ground hard. They use the boy's body as a shield and escape out the door. The mysterious man curses as he gets to his feet.

"Oh God…" I feel like my insides have fallen out. "All of them… They were my only family…"

"I'm sorry." Says the man, solemnly shaking his head. "I should have come sooner… I'm–I'm so sorry."

"You saved me."

"Yes…" He looks so sad. Like he hasn't slept in months. I wish I had something comforting to say him, but—

"I think...I wish you hadn't come. I think I hate you for this."

Gunn awoke to a bright and beautiful brand-new day. The morning sang to him to get up and dance with her, and all he lusted for was the precious little time he could remain unconscious. Unconscious and unknowing.

* * *

"Ahem… Oz I don't mean to be rude, but it's getting late and we haven't any extra beds." Wesley said.

"Got it." Oz nodded. "No worries, I have a place. The Dingoes are rented through next week." Fred grinned.

"Ooo! Great! We'll see you around then!" She stood and followed Oz to the door.

"Can I see you tomorrow?" Oz asked in a tiny voice.

Wesley's eyes narrowed.

"Tomorrow?" Fred questioned, a puzzled look on her face. "I think so. For what?" Oz looked shuffled his feet.

"Just—" He looked up again, straight into her eyes. He felt as though he might drown if he didn't pull away.

"Just to see you, I guess." He said at last.

Fred looked at him, astonished. For a moment, they stared deep into each other's eyes, searching for something neither could describe. Wesley coughed, and the two of them were forcefully jolted from their trance.

"How about lunch?" Oz asked quietly as he stepped out the door. Fred nodded, still consumed in thought. Oz smiled. Then he turned and walked down the hall and into the elevator.

Fred watched unblinkingly as she slowly closed the door behind him. Wesley turned with a loud sigh and fell lightly into the couch.

"Good night, Fred." Fred nodded and retreated into her room. And even though he fought it, even though he didn't want to, Wesley curled into a helpless ball and sobbed quietly into his pillow.

* * *

"Wes?" Gunn prodded him with his finger. "Hey, Wes?"

"Mmmm…?" Came a muffled groan from under the deep blue throw blanket.

"What are you doin' on the couch?" Wesley opened his eyes reluctantly. Gunn studied him. "You know you could of gotten me up. I just needed a nap. I didn't mean to make you crash out here."

"No, no." Wesley sat upright and raised his single fist over his head in a yawn. "I'm alright, it was actually, surprisingly comfortable." As he said this, he winced and brought his hand to his lower back.

Gunn smirked. "Uh-huh. I see that." Wesley glanced briefly at the ceiling.

"Hey guys?" Fred called from the kitchen. Both men jumped at the sudden sound, and turned to see Fred poke her head out from behind the wall that separated the two rooms. "What d' ya say we go out for breakfast?"

Wesley frowned. "Why?" He asked cautiously. Gunn held his breath to keep from laughing. Fred blew a stray hair out of her face.

"Um..."

* * *

"Someone has got to do something about this." Oz gestured toward the mountain of dishes spilling out of the sink. He understood there was a budget, but this? It's just wrong to force six men into one room. No matter the cost, each man has a right to his own bed. He was scarred for life, Oz was sure.

"I just have a hard time believing that all this is from last night."

"Some is from breakfast." Argued the drummer as he sat down in front of the television.

"Still, that's–when did you eat breakfast?" Oz asked, looking rather befuddled.

"Forty minutes ago, man." Said the bleach-blonde lead singer as he plopped himself next to the drummer and picked up his PS2 controller.

"You slept in today. What with the full moon and all. We saved you a few eggs. They're in the fridge. Dude I am SO gonna kick your ass!"

Oz blinked. "What? Why?"

The blonde laughed. "Oh sorry, not you. Tommy, here." The drummer raised a hand to make himself seen. "Wanna try a little Buffy the Vampire Slayer?" He asked.

"It's amazing how closely the graphics actually resemble you guys..." He chuckled. "Technology today..."

Oz shook his head.

"I'll watch."

"You should eat something." Said Howard, the base guitarist. "We've gotta gig this afternoon, and if you don't eat you'll be bitching' all day."

Oz slammed his palm into his forehead. "Oh no!"

"What?" The band asked in unison.

"I made plans, I can't–"

"Oz!" Exclaimed Tommy. "We've already rescheduled so that we could have you with us during your cycle!"

"But this is really important, I just–"

"OZ!" The band shouted again. Oz gave an exasperated sigh.

"Fine, I give. Just let me make a phone call."

* * *

"Wow, Fred. I'd never realized just how much you can eat at once." Wesley smiled. Gunn, on the other hand, looked nervous.

"Could the dudes runnin' the buffet kick us out for eatin' too much?" He asked.

Wesley shook his head.

"'All you can eat.**'** No reason to fret. So Fred, when are you and Oz going out?"

Gunn looked at Wesley, his eyes wild. "They're going out?"

Fred giggled. "Yep! I think it would'a been dinner and another movie, but–"

"You went to a movie?" Wes asked suddenly, his features not betraying his emotions.

Fred nodded, smiling. "Spur of the moment thing. He asked me and I said yes. But anyway, I think it would'a been that, but Oz has to schedule for the daytime, so it's just a quiet lunch."

"It's probably for the best." Wesley said without thinking. He wanted to slap himself, but he held his own.

Gunn chuckled.

"Why lunch? Is he afraid of the dark or somethin'?"

"Oh, no." Fred explained. "Oz is a werewolf."

Gunn sputtered in his orange juice. Wesley smiled.

"So what time do you plan on going out?" He asked again. Fred looked at him knowingly.

"Wesley...you don't have to worry about me all the time. I'm a big girl now, and I can take care of my– augh!"

Wesley was able to catch her before her face connected with the table.

"She's having a vision!" He gasped to Gunn at his puzzled and frightened expression. Other people in the small restaurant were staring at them, but not one of them thought to pick up their cell phones and call for medical assistance.

Fred shook and screamed for what immediately seemed to be too long, and then she suddenly sat straight up, a terrified look on her face.

"Oh no! Oz!"

* * *

"Damn. I forgot my music. You guys go on and catch a cab, I'll catch up. Put your equipment in the van, I'll bring it with me." Oz waved to his friends as they got into a cab and pulled away from the apartment building. He sighed as he turned and walked back into the building. But as he stepped up to the door and pulled out the keys, he noticed something strange.

"Huh..." Oz nudged the door with his foot and walked cautiously inside as it swung open easily. After a moment of examining the empty room he grabbed his sheet music and then spun around quickly, his fist colliding strongly with the intruder's jaw.

"What do you want!" Oz shouted. He prepared to hit the guy again, but was grabbed from behind by another black-clad man. And another.

"Hey!" Oz shouted. "I have to be somewhere, could you come back tomorrow?"

Against Oz's shouts and protests, he was roughly dragged by his arms and hair and thrown into the back of a large dark van.

* * *

Fred hid her face in her hands.

"Oz..."

* * *

Author's Note: I've seen very little of Buffy, so if I got something wrong, please let me know. My current excuse is to say, this is AU, so it's my world. Ha.


	4. Missing

The Blue Room--Chapter 4

* * *

Sorry this is so short, I've been really out of my mind lately. I think it says what it needs to.

And in a reader's review, I was reminded that Oz shouldn't be vulnerable to the lunar cycle anymore. I knew about his time in Tibet...but I didn't know what time frame. I never watched 'Buffy'. Anyway, thank you for telling me. I feel rather silly now, I can't fix it, I've already plotted the story. My only, extremely lame, excuse is that the story is set AU, so maybe in this Alternate Universe...he never went. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. P

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I WANT MORE! I'm sadly addicted. Review and I'll shower you with--something you'd want to be showered with. Promise. Thanks.

* * *

Oz woke up on a cold concrete floor with his hands tied behind his back. The room was dark and dank. Oz noticed there were no windows, so he must be underground. As if in answer to his thoughts, a voice came from the other side of the room.

"It's a vault."

From the sound Oz concluded it must be a male. He could almost make out a dim shape in the darkness. He didn't reply, the man spoke again.

"A bank vault. Wolfram & Hart owns it, but it's been empty for decades."

"Wolfram & Hart?" Oz found the courage to ask.

"The law firm I–" He paused. "...used to work for."

"A law firm?" Oz coughed, spitting blood onto the cement. "You're a lawyer?"

"Sorry I had you brought here. If she gets the girl I'm dead."

"Fred? Who wants Fred? What the hell's going on!"

"You know everything you've said thus far has been in the form of a question. It makes you sound clueless, you should work on that."

"No, that last one was meant to be a statement. As in, quit playing games with me and tell me why I'm here."

"Or what?"

"Or–" Oz froze, feeling the wolf in him rise. He choked whatever urges he had to tear the man's flesh apart, and flattened himself against the far wall. The man chuckled softly from the dark.

"What are you laughing at?" Asked the blonde woman. Oz heard the man gasp at her sudden arrival.

"Oh, hey baby." He said nervously. "That's him, over there."

Oz was able to see the blonde woman clearly. She seemed to have a certain glow about her. She eyed him curiously at first, and then began to move steadily towards him.

* * *

Wesley offered Fred his handkerchief as she sat down on the couch. He and Gunn had fought to get her here, she wouldn't move unless they urged her. She merely sniffled and whimpered and repeated Oz's name over and over again in a soft, trembling voice. 

"What?" Wesley pressed desperately. "We can't help if you don't tell us what's happening to Oz." Fred shook her head sadly.

"Torture, betrayal..." She looked into Wesley's eyes, her face streaked with tears. "...death."

Wesley shuddered. He turned to face Gunn, ready to ask him to call Oz's apartment. As he opened his mouth Fred gave a shrieking wail and buried her hands in her dark hair, pulling it every which way. Gunn and Wesley darted to catch her and head butted each other in mid-leap. Fred hit the floor hard, and lay there writhing while Wes and Gunn stood rubbing their heads trying to come up with someway to help.

"A demon!" Fred gasped between the sobs. "That one we almost killed..."

"The Ardentious demon?" Wesley tried. Fred nodded a reply, struggling against the pain.

"It's after revenge...oh, it's really pissed..." She whimpered.

Gunn lifted her onto the couch, handing her a blanket after she complained of a sudden chill. Then he walked into the kitchen where Wesley was waiting for him.

"Hey man, what about that spell you were talking about? That incantation mumbo-jumbo, sposta kill it with just words? How's that work?" At Wesley's guilty look Gunn frowned. "What?"

"I didn't finish..." Wesley shrugged hopelessly. "I couldn't finish..."

Gunn narrowed his eyes and set his shoulders for the determined look, before quickly making his way back to Fred, who lay shaking under her blanket on the couch.

"Fred?" Gunn ventured. She gave a weak mumble in reply. "Where is this thing? What does it want?" Fred breathed into her pillow quietly, and Gunn repeated the question, thinking she hadn't heard him. "Fred?" He said after a minute of silence. Fred wasn't conscious, he soon realized. She was slipping.

"Wes!" He shouted, turning to see Wesley right behind him, wincing at the sudden sound. "Oh, sorry. Fred's–"

"I know." Wesley murmured. "She's dying."

"What?"

"The visions. They're killing her." Wesley watched Fred's irregular breathing, silently wishing he were the one gasping for air. "A human can't keep them. The visions are too powerful." As Wesley spoke, Gunn shook his head in disbelief.

"How do we save her?" He asked, almost begging Wesley to have an answer.

"We can't." Wesley sighed. "Well–"

"What?"

"She can only live if someone else takes the visions."

"Angel!" Gunn turned and ran to the spare bedroom, jostling the key in the lock and opening the door. "Uh-oh...Wes!"

Wesley came reluctantly, not wanting to leave Fred's side.

"What is it?" He stopped suddenly at the sight of the shattered window.

"Angel's gone."

* * *

I'll try to get the next chapter up A.S.A.P., but like I said, I'm way busy and it's driving me complete starkers. I'm more likely to hop to it if you review! (hint, hint) 


	5. What can go wrong

The Blue Room

Chapter 5

* * *

She was beautiful. As she came closer Oz was able to smell the sweet aroma that wafted gently off of her shimmering body. She came closer. Closer. She was kneeling in front of him, her piercing blue eyes searching his very being. Oz at first felt so calm, and then he saw the glistening fangs moving towards his neck. He felt the points prick the skin just under his ear, and all he could think to do was close his eyes and wait for death. But death never came. At the sound of the vampire's amused laughter Oz opened an eye, then both eyes to look at her. She smiled warmly at him, sending a shiver down his spine.

"Oooh...come now, why would I kill someone as special as you are?" She said in a sweet voice. "I've invited you here tonight, because you have something I want."

Oz narrowed his eyes. "I don't have any–"

"Shh, shh, shh..." The vampire whispered, running her hands up his shirt and feeling his chest with a look of intention. Oz was begging to fall under her spell for a second time when a voice spoke loudly and purposefully from the dark corner.

"Kate? Kate! You don't want to be near him." Oz gave a smug smile. He detected a hint of jealousy in the man's voice.

"Why don't I want to be near him?" Kate replied in an even voice, suddenly looking dark and dangerous.

"He's a werewolf. It could happen any minute now, I'd keep my distance if I were–"

"You brought me a werewolf on the full moon?" She stood and walked the width of the room to tower over the little man. Oz noticed only now that the man's wrists were bound. His light brown hair was unkept, and his clothes were caked with mud and debris. He looked up at her in both terror and awe. He'd loved her so much, once.

"I-I-I got what you asked for, did-didn't I? He's the one, I-I've tracked it. He has the sight. I can't help what he is or-or when we were able to capture him. He is who he is. He's the one you wanted." The man trembled under the dark siren's gaze. After a moment she knelt down beside him and gave him a kiss. He took it greedily, closing his eyes and breathing in her essence. When she'd pulled away she untied the man's bonds and stood again.

"He's the one I wanted." She sighed. "I have to go out again for a while. I'm sure our guest is hungry. If he tries anything," She continued, offering the man a gun. "Shoot him."

The man cradled the revolver. "Silver?"

"One of them is, for emergency. Fire them all." Kate smiled a dark smile. "You know I'm always prepared for anything." At these words the man cringed, as though trying to suppress a painful memory. The vampire put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll be back soon. And after all this is finished, I'll give you your reward, Lindsay. I promise." She kissed him again and then walked into the dark and out of sight.

As she left the room she took her glimmer with her, and the room again became black. Had Oz been able to see, he might have noticed the color drain from Lindsay's face at the word 'reward', for what Lindsay wanted more than anything was his love back. But in her place this–thing–threatened to make him into nothing more than a shell. A receptacle for his inner evil. And if he helped her in her plan, and it succeeded, that would be his fate. And she called it a reward. And so, Kate could never find the girl. Her plan must fail, and she cannot know it is due to his deliberate mistake. And even as Lindsay is running his reasons for betrayal through his head, Wesley and Gunn are doing the same thing.

* * *

"Wes, man, are you crazy? We can't just leave her here! What if–"

"Yes, Charles, I know the risks. But we have no other option. I can't fight the demon alone, incase you've skipped a minor detail, I'm missing an arm!"

"So then let me go! You can stay and watch over Fred, and call me if something–"

"You couldn't take care of yourself."

"What's that sposta mean?"

"I think you know exactly what it means! You need my help!"

"I never needed nobody's help!"

"If it weren't for me you'd be dead!"

"Shut up, English!"

"Thanks to me–"

"SHUT UP!"

Wesley stood down, but continued to glare at Gunn. "It's not my fault she's dead."

Without warning, Gunn launched himself towards Wesley, pinning him to the ground and throwing punch after punch into his face. Wesley dodged two, took four, and returned one, before kneeing his opponent between the legs, forcing him to roll over onto the floor moaning in pain and annoyance. Wesley took this opportunity to kick Gunn as hard as he could in the stomach, leaving him choking and gasping for air. Wesley felt the blood trickle down his chin as it flowed freely from his nose. He raised his hand to wipe it away, and as he did Gunn regained himself and lunged again. In one quick movement Wesley dodged Gunn's attack and returned it with a hard blow. Gunn recovered and sent a flying kick into Wesley's jaw, causing him to fall, barely conscious onto the floor. Their fight was interrupted by Fred's sudden shriek of pain. Both men jumped at the sudden sound and hurried to her side, Wesley still trying to fight off the nausea that came along with being kicked in the face.

"Oh God!" Fred cried. "Oh God, it's coming! It's coming here! After you!" Fred gasped before falling again out of consciousness.

Gunn stood straight. "Then let's go say hello." He made for the door. "Wes, come on!"

"Fred..."

"Man, we have to stop it before it reaches here. If we go now it's helping Fred, not hurting her. If we don't do anything it could kill everyone in the building. Now let's go!" Without another word Gunn ran out the door. Wesley gave one last paining look at Fred's sad form before turning and leaving for battle.

* * *

Author's Note: Again, a very short chapter. I didn't feel the need to draw it out. A lot of things are quietly being unveiled at this point. If you didn't catch them I might suggest reviewing past chapters. If you did, good for you! Many of my readers seem to just be confused with my "I'm not telling: Neener, neener, neener!" method of writing. Perhaps I'm more suited to write mysteries. Anyhow, I'm enjoying writing this story and I hope you are enjoying reading it. Please let me know by reviewing.

Thanks **Moonjava** for your reviews. I hope you are enjoying the story, and I'm excited to show you where it's going. Your reviews mean a lot to me. Thank you. The next chapter should be up soon.


	6. Panic

The Blue Room

Chapter 6

* * *

Author's Note: Aaaack! I've been spelling it wrong! I'm so sorry! I'll go back and fix it next chance I get, thank you for bringing it to my attention. I'm so embarrassed!

**Moonjava**: I love you! In every chapter you review, you are my new favorite reader! You are my motivation to continue!

**Imzadi**: Thank you for your reviews, too! I was so excited to receive them! As you may know, I'm new here. And as of yet I've had very few reviews. One of my stories only has 2. Imagine my surprise at suddenly having 5 new reviews in a day! It really makes me so happy, thank you!

* * *

"Oh God! Kate!" Lindsey had tried to protect her. A horrible sinking feeling overcame him as he watched her die slowly in the arms of the vampire. It was his fault. He shouldn't have brought her here. "Oh, please! We had a deal! We can negotiate!"

"Deal's off." Grinned another vampire. "You can complain to your firm. Nobody screws with us."

The vampire cradling Kate's limp body, punctured his own wrist and brought it to her mouth.

"No!" Lindsey cried. "Please, God no! I'll do anything!" The second vampire threw a fist into Lindsey's stomach, causing him to double over in pain. With a deep chuckle, the other vampire tilted Kate's chin up and forced the blood down her throat, and all Lindsey could do was watch.

* * *

Lindsey blinked, shaking the thought out of his head.

"_I'm always prepared for anything."_ Kate's voice echoed.

From the corner Oz cried out in pain. Lindsey heard the sound and wrapped his finger gently around the trigger of the revolver.

"Coffee and doughnuts!"

Lindsey spun around. "What?"

"Well, aren't you hungry?" Kate asked, a quirky smile on her face.

"Uh...you bought doughnuts?"

"No. Why would I pay for something I can have for free?" She handed him his mocha latte and a bear claw. "There's a ton, help yourself." She said, gesturing towards a large white bakery box. "I got all kinds, you like jelly?"

"What about you?" Lindsey asked, accepting his doughnut and taking a huge bite out of it.

Kate waved the question away. "Oh, I ate the baker. Thanks, though." She picked up the box of doughnuts and another cup of coffee and brought it over to the cowering figure in the corner.

"Hey kid, you hungry?"

"Kate..." Lindsey warned.

"I'm fine Lindsey." She said through gritted teeth. She waved a doughnut in Oz's face. "Boston Cream..." She sang temptingly. "I didn't poison them. Just eat it."

On the other side of the room, Lindsey wrapped his fingers around his throat, imitating a gagging/choking sound..

"Lindsey!" Kate scolded.

"...sorry..."

"Hey." Kate gave Oz a gentle shove. "You okay?"

"I'm being held prisoner by a lawyer and his vampire girlfriend who's trying to shove doughnuts down my throat." He took the pastry. "But I like doughnuts, so call it an upside."

"Do you love me?"

Both Lindsey and Oz coughed up coffee.

"What? No!"

Kate sighed. "Yeah, well. Then I'm afraid I'm going to have to torture you."

"Oh." Oz said. "Why?"

"Because according to dimwit, here," Kate motioned toward Lindsey, who scowled behind her back. "Who's been spying on you and your friends, I can only get those visions one of two ways. Love, or Hope. If Love's out, we'll have to go with Hope."

"You lost me." Oz said calmly.

"Well, I figure if I really do a good job with the torture, you'll pass the visions to me in hope that the pain will stop. Seem's logical, doesn't it?"

Oz blinked. His captor was asking his opinion on the probability of a positive outcome in her sinister plot. This woman was without a doubt, the strangest villain he'd ever seen.

"Um..." He pondered for a moment. "Yeah, I think it might work." He couldn't let her know he didn't possess the visions. As long as she believed he carried them, Fred was safe. "So, uh–what kinda torture did you have in mind?"

Kate walked over to a large and mysterious lump, hidden under a white sheet. She lifted the sheet, revealing a rather frightening-looking machine underneath, sporting every kind of sharp and/or heavy object one can imagine. Oz swallowed hard, but refused to allow his fear to overcome him. He had to do this.

Just as Oz had made his final decision, the very person he was sacrificing himself to save burst into the room, shaking with sobs. Oz shouted at her to turn and run, every second in slow motion. The shock waves Fred's sudden arrival had sent through the room were felt by each person, all of them as confused as the other.

"Please, no! Don't! I have them! I have the visions!" Fred screamed. "Don't hurt him!"

Kate blinked. And in the time it took her to do just that Oz was holding Fred in his arms, his mouth pressed tightly against hers. What happened in that moment was unseen by Lindsey and Kate, but immediately understood by the two lovers.

"Why?" Fred wept. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I love you."

Lindsey could only stare. She couldn't be here! Now Kate knew about the girl. Not only would her plan now succeed, but she also knew Lindsey had lied to her. In a panic, gripping the gun tightly in his hand, Lindsey reacted in the only way he could think of. He pulled the trigger.


	7. Tragedy

The Blue Room

Chapter 7

* * *

Author's Note: With this final chapter, my fanfiction comes to an end. I have left possibilities open for a sequel, though I am unsure as to whether or not I am up to it. If anyone is interested in co-writing a sequel, I think it would be fun. Until then, **The Blue Room** is closed. I beg you, please review the final chapter. Please, please, please, please, please!

Thanks to: Everyone who reviewed, especially **Moonjava**, who was always the first to let me know how much she enjoyed my story telling. I hope you are pleased with the ending. Your positive influence made it possible.

Now, onto the conclusion.

* * *

"Gunn!" Wesley shouted to his friend to come back, but to no avail. Gunn was charging toward it as fast as he could, sword drawn, eyes fiery. Though as he neared the enormous, leopard-like demon, rather than attack it he sped around it and climbed up the emergency staircase of the closest building. The old hospital. The building was condemned due to a past fire, and was scheduled to be torn down. Gunn knew if he could only lure the beast onto the fragile roof...

"You madman! Come back!" Wesley screamed at the top of his lungs for Gunn to come down, like a worried parent. "For Christ's sake, don't be stupid!" Gunn merely grinned.

"We're gonna kill this bitch!" He cried, raising his sword above his head as though it were a trophy. He was caught off balance when the demon leaped onto the roof, causing the whole building to creak and shake. For the first time, Gunn began to feel fear. But he swallowed it. There was no going back now. He backed away slowly, leading the demon to the middle. He knew it wouldn't hold their weight. The demon swished its tail and uttered a low growl, slowly advancing on its prey.

"Here kitty, kitty..." Gunn taunted his foe.

"Gunn!" Wesley shouted hopelessly.

"Shut up, English, I gotta do this!" Gunn lowered his sword and closed his eyes. Wesley only assumed he was praying. Unsure of what to do, Wesley bolted toward the building, hoping to find some way to help. Gunn was not going on this ridiculus kamakazi mission alone.

Gunn took a deep breath, and shouted to the man below.

"You saved my life once. I meant to say–" But even as he said those words, before Wesley's very eyes as he approached the stairs, the roof gave out. Gunn let out a scream that echoed in Wesley's ears as the two figures fell, the entire building coming down with them.

"No!" Wesley cried. It felt as though something invisable had come up behind him and taken him by the throat, completely blocking his airway.

He couldn't be dead. Heros don't die.

For what seemed like an eternity he stood and waited for Gunn to claw his way out of the rubble. He almost expected him to simply jump up and brush the dust off his jacket, saying something like, "Man, was that thing ugly or what?" But he never did.

Wesley nearly fell over with shock when something began to move underneath the debris. The Ardentious demon had survived! It shook it's fur clean, and then focusing on Welsey, it gave a great shriek of fury, but was suddenly silenced when a sword came out of nowhere and took its head off. Holding Gunn's dropped sword in his hand was Angel.

"Gunn's dead." He said blankly. Wesley felt a lump forming in his throat as Angel walked toward him.

"You're sure?"

Angel's only response was to stare blankly down the alley.

"What?" Wesley questioned him, looking in the same direction Angel was fixated on.

"Fred–" Angel murmured. And with that he ran, following her scent.

Wesley started to follow, but turned back, lowering his head and closing his eyes, honoring a hero.

"Thank you."

* * *

As the shot rang out, everybody was frozen in time. The bullet itself seemed to be suspended in the air for a moment before finding its target. Just as Fred's body sunk to the floor, Wesley and Angel ran into the room, Angel immediately taking a blow at Kate, who dived away from his sword and kicked his feet out from under him.

Wesley stopped breathing when he saw Fred. Her hair stained with blood and falling into her face. Her eyes cold and glassy. Her skin getting paler every second. He knew that image would never let him go.

Oz, in his fury, let the change wash over him, lunging toward Lindsey with the intention of ripping his throat out. But Lindsey was faster. In the next second the last five shots had been fired, and with a sharp yelp the great, dark wolf fell in mid-leap, hitting the cement with a thud. Wesley watched silently as the wolf again became the figure of Daniel Osbourne, slain beside his lover.

Angel stood quickly, dodging another attack and swinging his sword toward his enemy with all his strength. Kate ducked out of the way, shouting protests.

"Angel! We don't have to fight. It's not my fault, I never wanted anyone dead! Look, we can just–" She dodged his sword again. "Talk about this, okay?" Angel lowered his sword in thought. Kate took the opportunity to get him with a spinning kick. Caught off guard, he raised his sword again, but not quickly enough. Kate came at him with a pencil from her pocket, ready to strike the last fatal blow. Angel caught her fist before she could bury the wood into his chest, her weight throwing both of them to the floor. Rolling and tumbling over and under each other, throwing punches and dodging weapons, neither of them saw Lindsey. Angel held the pencil inches from his heart, grunting in the effort to avoid death, until he couldn't hold against it anymore. He stopped trying, and let the point fall, except it didn't. It simply dropped to the floor with a light clatter as Kate exploded into dust around it. Lindsey stared down at Angel with a look of terror, dropping the stake and running at top speed out of the vault and away into the darkness. Angel's gaze followed him out of sight. Slowly and unsurely he stood up, brushing dust off his shirt.

Now able to move, Wesley dropped to his knees and gazed open-mouthed at Fred's crumpled body. Her face still held the grief she had felt at Oz's loving betrayal. Wesley knelt over her, leaning forward to close her eyes and kiss her forehead in a quiet farewell. Only when he'd gotten to his feet did he break down and cry.

Angel watched the scene with impossible confusion. He winced at the sound of Wesley's wailing. He'd never known Wesley to cry. This was something completely alien and frightening to him. He didn't like it. Something wasn't right. Something bad was about to happen.

Wesley wiped his face on the front of his shirt, sniffling and blinking repeatedly as he regained himself. He turned to Angel with a distant look and smiled.

"Well. That's it then." He croaked. It was then that Angel saw Lindsey's dropped gun in Wesley's hand. He hadn't even had time to register what it meant before Wesley raised it to his own temple and pulled the trigger. Angel blinked at the noise, and watched Wesley's body fall lifeless into a pool of blood.

It took several minutes for reality to catch up with him. Angel stood motionless, wondering why it was suddenly so quiet. Then it occurred to him. It was because they were dead. They were all dead.

And as soon as this thought had formed in his mind the world began to dissolve around him. The walls crumbled to ash and the floor disappeared into nothing, and he was falling. Falling so far and so fast, that when his feet finally did find solid ground his legs gave out from under him and he collapsed onto the floor of the blue room. He held his head in his hands and shrieked in terror and confusion and the sudden realization of tragedy, his body racked with sobs.

In the distance there was a sound not unlike the hurried scraping of chairs and worried voices, and a moment later Wesley rushed into the room in a panic. He didn't bother closing the door behind him and Fred and Gunn observed from the living room as Wesley took the trembling vampire into his arms and rocked him. Angel buried his face into Wes's sweater and sobbed louder, unable to contain the horror he felt.

"What is it?" Wesley asked softly, but with an urgency in his voice. "What did you see?"

**FIN**


End file.
